I get this question ALL the time: “Wearing and mixing colors is hard enough, but just HOW do you mix PATTERNS -- where do you even start??”
There’s one surefire way: Head to your closet and try some things out. Yes, some combinations might leave you less than happy, but I am certain you will also come up with some new favorite ways to maximize the hard earned dollars you’ve already spent on your wardrobe.
As Samantha Sutton of InStyle puts it:
“There's just something so fun and eye-catching about seeing, for example, bright stripes seamlessly styled with plaid pieces.” - Samantha Sutton
In other words: You get all the fun of wearing color, plus the flaw-hiding properties of pattern! What more could anyone ask for?
(Side note: my obsession for color and pattern is the whole reason I’m launching my dress line!)
To make the journey of creating new outfits exciting and fun I have created a little video with helpful tips and rules of thumb on what to look out for:
Below are my favorite tips as they work every time and make the process really easy. There will always be exceptions to any rule, but these suggestions are the foundation pieces of pattern mixing.
1) One Pattern Dominates
You want to make sure to keep one pattern less “loud” than the other. This can be accomplished by choosing pieces with a different scale of pattern, or by balancing out a bold pattern with more subdued pieces, like classic menswear stripes or checkered patterns. Here, you can see how the big and colorful flower pattern is offset by the more “quiet” and smaller scale check of the men’s style shirt.
2) One Color Scheme
When first dabbling into pattern mixing, you will have an easier time creating successful outfits if you make sure that the majority of the colors are the same or similar in both patterns. In our previous example, the purple and green of the shirt are repeated in the dress. Likewise, in the example here, the yellow and green are part of both the dress and the hat patterns.
3) Animal Prints Can Be Neutrals
Treat animal prints like snake, leopard, or zebra like Neutrals and boldly pair them with your patterns. You will be amazed at how beautifully they mix! Do you like the examples I have given? Trust me, you can easily create your own, because pairing patterns with animal prints is the easiest of all the ways to mix patterns!
It is my hope that these tips helped spark some ideas and have inspired you to try out some new combinations of your own. Even better: I hope that you had fun in the process, and that your newfound creations help make your day better and brighter. Because that’s what we all need more of right now!
Are you struggling with how to wear something in your closet? Send me your question and I’ll help! dagmar@dagmarspichale.com
P.S.: Want more tips? Grab my guide...
“One Dress: 10 Ways to Wear It”
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